Call to restore Mayo convent garden and let out plots to public

GROUNDS formerly used by the Sisters at the convent in Westport to grow vegetables should be cleaned up and let out in plots for people to use again.

The idea was floated by Councillor Johnny O'Malley at a municipal district meeting where he raised concerns about a wall at the back of the old Sacred Heart School where overgrowth is pulling out stones.

If stones fall where children are playing, someone will be hurt, he said. It's a council wall.

When the school was there the nuns looked after the area, with a paved road by the wall and no trees or ivy on it. And all their gardens were there, he explained, where they produced all their vegetables.

“There's nothing in it now, only growing wild,” said Councillor O'Malley. “It's a shame.”

If the council were proactive, cleaned away the wall and left the paved roads in it, they could let out the plots to people to grow vegetables as the nuns had done, he suggested.

The trees and ivy are coming in and they are going to knock the wall, he added, asking if the council could go in and do something.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme